Bernard King On Playing In New York: 'I Was One Of Them'

When Bernard King left Brooklyn in 1974, he was a legend on the New York City basketball scene. He had just been named first-team All-City at Fort Hamilton High School. But what lay ahead for King was an eight-year tour of the United States. He played college basketball at Tennessee, spent his first two pro seasons with the New Jersey Nets, was part of the first Jazz team to play in Salt Lake City and became an NBA All-Star for the first time with the Golden State Warriors.

Finally, in 1982, King made it home. The Knicks acquired him by trading Micheal Ray Richardson to the Warriors.

"I had played in Madison Square Garden while playing for opposing teams, and it was always truly special," King remembers. "But this was an arena that was important to me, and it represented all of basketball to me and what basketball was all about. Every time I put on that uniform, it really meant so much to me. I had goosebumps every single night I put it on. I represented the legacy of the franchise, of all those great players I mentioned, but I also represented the heart and soul of the city. I was one of them. I played my heart out for the fans here in New York and every night, I brought my 'A' game and I excelled at the highest level."

King, who now resides in Atlanta, has spent much of the past few weeks in New York, promoting his new memoir, Game Face, which hit shelves on Nov. 7. The book discusses his upbringing in Brooklyn's Fort Greene neighborhood, creating the "Ernie and Bernie Show" at Tennessee with Ernie Grunfeld and King's battle with alcohol, among other topics.

The Knicks actually acquired King and Grunfeld, a Queens native, in the same offseason, reuniting one of college basketball's most famous duos. By then, Grunfeld was more of a role player while King was an All-Star, but both "lived the dream" of playing for the Knicks.

Basketball fans reading Game Face may be surprised to find out King's favorite Knick was not a volume scorer. During King's youth, he watched Walt Frazier, Willis Reed and Earl Monroe, but it was New York's muscle that King loved.

"My favorite at that time was Dave DeBusschere," he says. "I was [a great rebounder] in high school and college. I led the conference in rebounding three years in a row when I was in college. I had 13 rebounds a game plus 25 points a game. That's pretty remarkable, and I led in field goal-percentage, as well. In high school, I averaged 28 rebounds, so I was a great rebounder and I preferred rebounding to scoring, and that's why Dave DeBusschere was my favorite player."

DeBusschere actually became the Knicks' general manager in 1982 and signing King was one of his first moves. (The Warriors matched the offer, then agreed to the Richardson trade.) In other words, King's idol brought him home. King won a scoring title in New York, but his rebounding was nowhere near its collegiate peak.

DeBusschere drafted Patrick Ewing in 1985, but King missed Ewing's entire rookie season after tearing his ACL in March 1985. When King returned to play six games at the end of the 1986-87 season, Ewing was out because of knee surgery.

King spoke with ThePostGame at the NBA Store, a Fanatics Experience, where he signed copies of Game Face before catching Knicks-Cavs courtside with Chris Rock.